I remember Barry Norman (annoying UK TV film critic) ending an episode of his weekly show (Film'84 etc) with a clip from this documentary film that was getting a UK cinema showing at some festival (?) The music from the clip made my ears spark up instantly. I actually thought it was by John Williams, it sounded THAT good. It may well have been my first acknowledged love of music by Lee Holdridge (I think SPLASH followed not long after). I bought the LP that showed up in the record shop and played it over and over. A winning combination of lyrical, upbeat orchestral 'sports' music and some great Michael Boddicker performed 80's synth tracks that are also lyrical and thematic. The CD came out years later on a budget label (Laser Light I think) and I couldn't believe I had this beaut of a score on CD for a crazy cheap price! Anyway. How great is this score? It popped up on my playlist today and had me grinning like a kid with it's sheer beauty and depth. Tell me I'm not alone!
I remember Barry Norman (annoying UK TV film critic) ending an episode of his weekly show (Film'84 etc) with a clip from this documentary film that was getting a UK cinema showing at some festival (?)
I watched it on TV in Barbados split in three parts - thoroughly enjoyed having the opening synth music and closing titles recorded off. And I also have the Laserlight CD (the main theme is on my mp3 player)... shame they're too cheap to have the music information, but that's the only drawback.
I remember Barry Norman (annoying UK TV film critic) ending an episode of his weekly show (Film'84 etc) with a clip from this documentary film that was getting a UK cinema showing at some festival (?) The music from the clip made my ears spark up instantly. I actually thought it was by John Williams, it sounded THAT good. It may well have been my first acknowledged love of music by Lee Holdridge (I think SPLASH followed not long after). I bought the LP that showed up in the record shop and played it over and over. A winning combination of lyrical, upbeat orchestral 'sports' music and some great Michael Boddicker performed 80's synth tracks that are also lyrical and thematic. The CD came out years later on a budget label (Laser Light I think) and I couldn't believe I had this beaut of a score on CD for a crazy cheap price! Anyway. How great is this score? It popped up on my playlist today and had me grinning like a kid with it's sheer beauty and depth. Tell me I'm not alone!
Thank you so much, Kev McGann. This is why I love this website so much. So much beautiful music is brought to my attention. You can't go wrong with Lee Holdridge.
The Laserlight CD seems to have four more tracks than does my Deutsche Grammophon cassette, but I don't know how much additional music that equals. (The cassette times out at 40:27.)
I also have the Laserlight CD (the main theme is on my mp3 player)... shame they're too cheap to have the music information, but that's the only drawback.
Here is the music information from the cassette release on 9 of the 13 tracks that are on the Laserlight CD:
1. Theme from "16 Days of Glory" (3:22) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 2. Triumph (2:31) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 4. The Highest Step - Interlude (03:17) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 6. Hymn of the Nations (adapted from the "Inno delle nazioni" by Giuseppe Verdi, English text by Dominique Mancinelli) (10:27) - Placido Domingo (tenor); The Harlow-Hatfield and Nelp Combined Choirs; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 7. The Women's Marathon (7:38) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 9. The Lighting of the Torch (2:33) - The Harlow-Hatfield and Nelp Combined Choirs; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 11. Dawn - Interlude (3:17) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 12. Entrance of the Nations (3:25) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 13. Decathlon - The Finale (3:57) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Thanks for posting about this. It's available digitally as well, thanks to BSX - listening right now on Spotify. Lots of direct quotes from Classical music. For example, Triumph quotes a theme from the Roman Carnival overture by Berlioz. But it's skillfully done.
I'm confused. I thought that was the title of the Lillehammer documentary that came out 10 years later (also scored by Holdridge). Was it a series of films about the Olympics?
I'm confused. I thought that was the title of the Lillehammer documentary that came out 10 years later (also scored by Holdridge). Was it a series of films about the Olympics?
The IMDB lists the following films, all of which were directed by Bud Greenspan. Only the first film was released theatrically in the U.S. Greenspan, who died in 2010, also made many other films about the Olympics and Olympic athletes.
16 Days of Glory (1986) [about the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics] Music by Lee Holdridge
16 Days of Glory: Part II (1987) (TV Movie) Music by Lee Holdridge
Seoul '88: 16 Days of Glory (1989) (TV Movie) No IMDB music credit.
Calgary '88: 16 Days of Glory (1989) (TV Movie) Music by William Ross
Barcelona '92: 16 Days of Glory (1993) (TV Movie) No IMDB music credit.
Lillehammer '94: 16 Days of Glory (1994) (TV Movie) Music by Lee Holdridge and David Nichtern
Glad to have brought this glorious music some attention
I didn't know BSX had released a digital expansion (of sorts). I need to check the CD proper, but the extra tracks on the Laserlight CD are either; not by Holdridge, or inferior to the LP programme tracks (imo). None of them made it to my mp3 list, but all the old LP tracks did. I think the Berlioz quote is noted by Holdridge (on the old LP for sure).
I think it's time for some new Holdridge music on CD. Labels!! Attehhhnnn...HUT!
